Salmon fish kababs.

Try these yummy kababs with yr left over fried salmon or any other fish.

Ingredients.

Fried fish one lbs or uncooked 

Mashed boiled potatoes, one and half lbs 

Roasted crushed cumin one tbsp

Red chilli flakes to taste

Salt adjust accordingly

Chaat masaala one tbsp

Lemon juice two tbsp

Green chillies and cilantro chopped to taste

Bread crumbs

 Two Eggs beaten lightly with a little salt and pepper.

Method.

Mix all except bread crumbs and eggs. Make round patties. (Can freeze at this point)

Coat with bread crumbs and eggs and shallow fry. Serve with chatnis, chili garlic sauce or ketchup. Can also make fish burgers with this patti! Enjoy! 

alternatively I leave u with this recomendation 😜

CLASSIC CHICKEN STEAKS WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE AND FOIL BAKED VEGES AND POTATOES.

My teens were hungry and anything I offered was a no no as it had too much carbs for them. So whipped up this meal with what I found in my refrigerator. Chicken pepper steak with mushroom cream sauce, foil baked veges and potatoes.

Ingredients:

For The steak:
Chicken breasts 4
Worcestershire sauce 3 tbsp
mustard 2 tbsp
salt and pepper to taste.
Optional any of yr fav steak sauce 2 tbsp

For the Veges and potatoes:
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
half large onion diced or in strips
3 cups mixed fresh vegetables chopped or sliced.
2 large potatoes chopped
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil 4 tbsp
lemon juice of one small lemon

For the Mushroom sauce:
half large onion finely chopped
olive oil one tbp
butter one tbsp
mushrooms any kind two cups finely chopped.
flour 2 tbsp
fresh heavy cream one cup
salt and pepper to taste
chicken broth or water if needed.

Method:
First take boneless breast pieces one at a time. Put in between plastic wrap and hammer down with a kitchen hammer or your bread rolling pin till twice in size. Don't be too harsh to tear them off completely. Hammering them down loosens the tissues and helps cook it really fast while keeping the meat juicy and succulent. Marinade with salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and/or a little of any of your steak sauces ( optional). leave aside.

Now chop up a couple of garlic clove, half an onion in strips or squares, and three cups of mixed chopped veges of whatever you find in your fridge. I found Peas in pods, paprika, carrots and celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, a little lemon juice and good quality virgin olive oil. toss together and wrap in a heavy foil paper and seal it shut by twisting the foil at the top to let bake with juices inside the foil. In another foil do the same for a couple of diced potatoes. Since Potatoes take longer to cook start the oven at 400 degrees and put in the potatoes first. after 20 minutes put in the veges too. and in total about one hr take both the foils out.

When 10 minutes left for the baked goods to come out, start frying or grilling your steaks first on high then on medium flame. In parallel, while steaks are cooking prepare your mushroom sauce in a separate pan.

For the Mushroom sauce, first heat about one tbsp olive oil, saute finely chopped onions till transparent. Now add the mushrooms. saute some more about 3 minutes. Now add one tbsp butter melt it in and add 2 tbsp flour, salt and pepper.Saute some more and pour the cream while constantly whisking the sauce. If sauce too thick can add some chicken stock to it. Else is fine without too. Cook a couple of more minutes till sauce thickens to desired consistency.

Place the chicken steak on the serving plate, pour some sauce on or next to it. empty the foils carefully and scoop some veges and potatoes on to the plate.

My kids loved this meal, I am sure yours will too. Enjoy!

I leave you with an important lesson:

THE THREE INGREDIENT ROMANTIC DESSERT..Bring these to your loved ones instead of red roses next time :)

This dessert invention had to be a success. I mean how can u go wrong with Won Ton wrappers, condensed milk and sweet shredded coconut flakes all wrapped in a rose shape!

I wanted something sweet to add to my Chinese recipe collection that was new, inventive, easy and delicious. I saw these won ton wrapper roses online and immediately decided to make them myself. But the recipe had a savory filling while I wanted a dessert. So I just experimented with coconut and condensed milk and Viola! an amazing dessert emerged. I tested this recipe on my kids, cooking class students and neighbors who all gave its a two thumbs up!
Now it's all yours! Follow the steps one by one. I made it very easy to follow for you. Your artistic presentation will get rewarded with a lot of Oohs and Aah, I promise !  :)

From any grocery store buy the circle and square shaped packets of won ton wrappers like I got below.

Cut the square into four equal square.

Now cut the four squares into 4 circles with a scissor.

Take half a packet of shredded sweetened coconut and add just enough condensed milk, about 3 tbsps to help bind it. take half teasp full and place in the middle of the large circle wonton.

using egg wash (one egg in one tesp water lightly beaten) to hold things together, shape the filled wonton like shown.

Now shape the first small circle around the filled one like shown using egg wash.

 Now take the second circle and shape it around the first petal like shown below.

 Next use the next circle to continue your petal work!

 And with the last one u have a beautiful wonton rose.

 

Make as many as you like.

Deep fry for a few seconds until just starts to turn golden. remove on kitchen paper towel. Serve warm or cold.

TIP:

Experiment with any kind of deep fryable savoury or sweet filling of your choce. these hold well, don't get soggy and make a killer presentation! Don't ya think ! :)

THE PERFECT CHICKEN HAANDI KARHAI

Nine out of ten desi dinner parties, weddings, or any kind of events in Pakistan will definitely include the delicious chicken karhai as part of their main entree.

I have had many a karhai's in my life but it is true that when you cook it in the clay karhai (pot) it turns out the best. This recipe is a classic that all desi cooks must know. This version is my favorite because I learned it directly from my awesome teacher Chef Sara Riaz who just recently passed away. R.I.P. Anything I learned in her classes has always been the best version out there for me. She was my cheerleader always telling me I had the chops to get into food business! May her soul rest in peace. I miss her and her awesome TV cooking shows :(

You will find this recipe quick, easy and a life saver when you have last minute cooking to do for your guests.
You can easily make it in any kind of pot but today I made mine in the clay pot I bought back in Karachi 3 years ago while visiting a Sunday Bazaar. Three of these cost me only $5 total!!! What a bargain!  I didn't think I would actually cook in them. I had just gotten them because they were so pretty and I wanted to use them as a decoration piece :) But these are very functional and can easily be used over your gas stove.

INGREDIENTS:

One chicken whole cut into 16 pieces.
1 tbsp garlic paste
Tomatoes 6 to 8 chopped up
3 green chillies chopped
salt 1 and 1/2 teasp
red chilli powder 2/3rd teasp
ginger paste 1 tbsp
oil 1/2 cup
cilantro chopped one cup
roasted crushed cumin 2 tbsps
ginger thinly sliced in strips 2 tbsp
Dried crushed methi leaves (Fenugreek) 2 tbsps

METHOD:

Put the clay pot over the gas stove on medium heat.Add chicken, 1/2 cup water, garlic. Let cook covered for 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes and green chillies cook a couple minutes more.
Now add red chilli powder, salt and ginger paste. cover and cook some more till tomatoes are softened.
Now add oil and cook till chicken is totally cooked and oil starts to separate.
In the end sprinkle with cumin, sliced ginger, methi leaves and cilantro.
Serve hot in karhai on the table. remeber that the clay will be hot for several more minutes.Don't burn yourself!
serve with chapati, Roghni naan or matar pulao! ( peas pilav!)
Enjoy!

TIPS : If you'd like your gravy to be really red and extra delish, add 4 tbsp tomato paste with tomatoes like I did! also if you want more gravy then add one small onion sliced finely in the beginning when u boil that chicken.

I bid goodnight with a thoughtful question! When u eat out are you sure you are eating what you ordered ? :) lol

Black Garbanzo Beans (Kaley Chaney ki Chaat)

Black chickpeas, aka Bengal grams, Garbanzo beans or ‘kala chana’ have a much higher fiber content and lower glycemic index than many other varieties. It's an extremely versatile legume, and is widely used in a variety of Middle Eastern and Indian dishes like falafels, hummus and curries as well as salads, soups and stews or even as a quick snack. In addition to their delicious nut like taste and buttery texture, black chickpeas can be an awesome part of any healthy diet!.

This is what they look like when you buy them dry and browner and smaller than the regular Garbanzo beans.

And after boiling in lightly salted water till desired softness they look like this

My mom makes the best black chanas. I didn't have her recipe at hand so tried to replicate the flavors. This is my own recipe. It turned out great. Came out pretty close to mom's :)

RECIPE

So just suate one onion with one teasp ginger and garlic.
Add 1 teasp crushed red pepper , 1tsp cumin powder,  1tsp sugar, tamarind juice 1/3 cup, 2 small green chillies chopped finely. 
Fry a min and add boiled black galbanzo beans to it. 4 cups boiled.
Toss and add one chopped tomato, 1/2 cup coriander and mint chopped. 
Sprinkle with a little bit chaat masala if desired.
Eat with a fork warm or cold. 

TIP: If unfamiliar with tamarind, you can use one large lemon's juice instead.

HILARIOUS EASTER EGGS CAKES for your little ones.

With Easter festivities everywhere,from the malls with big fluffy Easter bunnies to take pictures with, or grocery store fridge aisle lined with easter theme cookie doughs and pre colored egg shells, my youngest wanted to get in on the action!

Mama! Can we paint eggs but I don't like them so I won't eat them!

Hmmm how about we save the shells and fill them up with something else edible, but what? I wondered aloud. 

How about cake mom!!

Aha ! why not ? Immediately I got googling on my computer, and Lo and Behold, found tons of ideas how to bake cake in egg shells. So we ended up creating these funny little hilarious characters today. I am just bummed that my little one's original idea is not really the original one! Anyway this is a super fun quality time activity with your kids! Do try :)

So just make any white cake batter, portion and dye with a few drops of neon colors.

 Use ziplock bags to pour each color about a teasp each and should all in all be 3/4th of the shell full.

Bake in preheated oven 350 degrees, for 17 to 18 minutes. Let the rainbow batter over flow. Thats going to be your crazy hairs :) Let cool and draw funny faces on each. My 10 yr old daughter came up with most of the expressions and original names for them all :)

Meet "The French Artist! "

Mr Moustache !!

                               

The Naughty Aunty!

and my daughter made this "Bucktooth Bob!"

The Blushing Betty !

The Shy Lady !

The Rainbow Family !

The cake is baked perfectly inside, nice and spongy.

And when u break the shell,the cakes comes out nice and clean.

And the best part is yet to come when you break open the shells to find some awesome rainbow cake arrangement! 

Do make these with your kids. they will really have a lot of fun with it! I will be wrapping them in clear cellophane and hiding them inside the family room and kitchen for the kids to try and find them.  Hope you have fun making these as we did.  Happy colorful Easter to you all !!

BHUNA GOSHT ( FRIED MEAT) FROM LANDI KOTAL

Before becoming the destroyed war ridden rubble that it is today, Landi Kotal was a simple tribal town between Afghanistan and Pakistan known to most as the best place to visit for meat lovers. To me the locals seemed to be carrying their rifles on their shoulders and their meat on their skewers with pride!!

I learned several dishes of the region in my teens and make them regularly to this day.

All these meat dishes from that region had something in common.They were surprisingly simple and minimum ingredients, yet huge on flavor. Sometimes less is more and few spices seem to go a long way as in that part of the world.

I will give you more recipes from that region over time,but tonight I want to start with my children's favourite.
Bhuna Gosht from Landikotal. (Fried meat )

Ingredients:
Beef stew meat cubed boneless 1 and 1/2 lbs (preboiled in water with a pinch of salt till almost done and very little broth left)
Tomatoes chopped 1 and 1/2 lbs
Green chilles mild medium sized 4 to 6 slit in half and seeds removed
Two small onions thinly sliced
Garlic minced 1 Tablesp
Ginger minced 1 Tablesp
Ghee or butter 1/2 cup ( if u are health conscious go as little as u want )
Red chilli powder 1 teasp
Turmeric powder 1/4 teasp
Cilantro to garnish

Method:
Fry sliced onions in hot ghee or butter. Stir and when starting to get golden brown add ginger, garlic, salt. chilli powder, turmeric.
Add 1/3 cup water and fry a little.
Add boiled meat and broth if any left from boiling)
Fry 5 minutes,then add chopped tomatoes.
Cook covered for 20 minutes.
Add green chillies, cook another 5 minutes or till the consistency you like.
garnish with cilantro and serve with naan or roti.
Enjoy!

TIP: I like to pre boil my meat for these type of dishes so that I am not stuck with a stubborn piece o meat that won't cook in time for that can ruin the flavors of the other ingredients while having to cook too long.
If your meat is tender and cooks fast, u don't need to pre boil.

I leave you with one of my biggest culinary fear! when Chef Ramsay might say to me!

LOL good night Fellow Foodies!!

My first VIRTUAL FACEBOOK FRIENDS COLLABORATION RECIPE ( The Ultimate Fried Crunchy Beans )

One day I was staring at the bag of fresh green beans from the organic farmer's market on my kitchen counter not knowing how to make an interesting recipe. I was feeling uninspired probably because  am not really a huge fan of green beans. I eat them because they are good for you but have not really acquired a taste for them. 
On the kitchen counter was also my Laptop open to my FB newsfeed, where I had just finished wishing happy birthday to 11 of my friends born that day :) 
I updated my status with the question. How should I make these beans today? Immediately I started getting tons of suggestions by my awesome friends who are just as enthusiastic about good food and recipes as I am. I incorporated all the ingredients I thought would go well together that they suggested into one recipe and the result was amazing!! 
So I must thank all my dear friends specially Zia, Zee Naeem and Seema. My beans came out amazing. crunchy, just the right amount of garlickiness, with sesame seeds and peanuts. yummm. love my friends for the best suggestions. Its going to be a regular now!!
                                        
PEANUT & SESAME CRUNCHY STIR FRIED BEANS

RECIPE:
in a little oil, fry one teaspoon minced garlic, one teaspoon crushed red chilli peppers. 
Soon after add beans one lb, soya sauce 2 tablesps, salt half teasp. sesame seeds 2 teasp, stir fry 5 minutes now add 3 tbsps crushed roasted peanuts unsalted, stir for a min and remove from heat. quick and easy and a million dollar worth! any buyers ??
enjoy!! :)

I bid goodnight with this cutest 7 seconds Vine Video. Who knew this song was about green beans?? It's hilarious. A must watch!! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoll2cV8L8Q

CRISPI CHATPATI BHINDI  (SPICY CRISPY OKRA)

I learned this quick yummy OKRA side dish from my mom when she called me one day long distance just to tell me how excited she was to have found a new way to make "Bhindi".
It was not the usual tomatoes and onion laden slimy (although yummy) fried stuff or cooked sticky, with meat and gravy.
Instead this Bhindi was crisp and spicy! lemony and crunchy! and good enough to be devoured with a fork like a snack with an independent soul that did not depend on any roti or paratha!
I decided to try it right away as a side dish to Chicken karahi I was planning for dinner that day. This recipe is indeed befitting it's British name "Lady Finger". Dressed sophisticatedly, crisp and cultured  instead of the usual sloppy slimy stuff !! :)
You can see my enthusiasm is inherited ! :)
Well here is the recipe.

My Okras are surrounded here by salad leaves and red radishes from my husband's backyard garden.

INGREDIENTS:
OKRA   1 lbs  (After removing the stubby ends, slice lengthwise each okra into 4 long strips.)
ONION  1 large (thinly sliced)
LEMON/LIME juice  1/4th cup
Cumin roasted and crushed 1 tablespoon
crushed red chilli peppers 1/2 teaspoon
salt to taste
Olive Oil as little as you want for sauteing
chaat masala (optional) 1 tbsp

METHOD:
Fry and toss Okras in a pan with Olive oil until crisp and crunchy. Will be browned a little too.
Remove onto a bowl.
Use same pan and a little more oil to fry the onions until crispy red/brown. Don't over do it or else will burn quickly.
Pour the Okras back into the pan with onions. lower the heat, add salt, crushed red chilli peppers, crushed and roasted cumin and lemon juice.Toss well for just a few seconds. Remove onto a serving dish.
For that extra chatpati kick sprinkle chaat masala too.
Serve warm or cold.
Enjoy !!

KILLER TIP!
Try the same recipe with CORN and/or PEAS  instead of OKRA !  You can call these a healthier version of comfort food!

Goodbye for now with this funny parody of "Oprah" by captainscratchy.com

What Germans do with Painted Easter Eggs and apple trees

While living in Germany, my little toddlers and I for a couple of Easters painted eggs with our neighbourhood friends and hung them on a tree. The following story reminded me of that. I have not seen this tradition in my neighbourhood in the USA. Maybe its time to start one !!  :)

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/world/Photos+Incredible+German+Easter+tree/8135306/story.html

My First Foodie Post and its about not being a Tough Chicken!!!

Hello friends,
Time and time again I have been told, "You should have a food blog! " So here I am! This will be a place to share all my fusion recipes with you all, and also to share anything food related on the net that tickles my fancy! Your feedback and comments are always welcome.

No more Tough Chewy Chicken Roasts!!
Today let me share some very simple tips for all your skinned chicken roasts with any kind of marinade. If you want juicy but fully cooked roasted poultry. Do the following.

1. As you marinate your skinned chicken with any kind of spices/masala. Add two tablespoons of minced Raw Papaya to the marinate. (You can find raw papaya in most Asian/South Asian stores if not in your regular ones.should be hard,  greenish and not yet sweet) (remove the seeds, mince it in a blender with skin. make small portions of 2 tbsp each and freeze them for all your future marinades for all kinds of meats except fish. I always freeze portions in an ice tray.
2. marinate the chicken directly in a pot, poke it all over with a fork and leave it in the fridge for at least 6 hrs.
3.cover the pot tightly and steam the chicken over the stove for about 10 minutes, turning it once.
4. Now deep fry or bake uncovered in the oven until its golden brown on the top.
This way you ensure the chicken is cooked thoroughly and is not dry and chewy. Because of  pre steaming, it takes less time to cook all through the center while baking or deep frying hence it does not dry up!  I prefer Raw Papaya which works like magic and is prefered  just because I don't trust the chemicals in packaged tenderizers :)
Feel free to ask questions!